Top 20 Most Famous Dog Breeds

Top 20 Most Famous Dog Breeds 01. Affenpinscher     Dogs have been selectively bred for thousands of years, sometimes by inbreeding dogs from the same ancestral lines, sometimes by mixing dogs from very different lines. He process continues today, resulting in a wide variety of breeds, hybrids and types of dogs.   02. Afghan Hound     03. Africanis     04. Airedale Terrier     05. Akita Inu   06. American Akita     07. Australian Terrier     08. American Bulldog     09. Australian Kelpie     10. American Eskimo Dog   11. Barbet (dog)     12. American Pit Bull Terrier     13. Australian Shepherd     14. Basset Hound     15. Bearded Collie   16. Bichon Frise     17. Boxer (dog)     18. Bulldog     19. Cane Corso   20. Chow Chow

Most Common Fabrics and Materials

Most Common Fabrics and Materials

Who knew there were so many types of material and fabric out there to choose from? From crafts to creating lovely pieces of clothing, learn the most popular types of fabric and material and learn what people are using them for on a daily basis.

It’s All About Satin

Satin is soft, luxurious, and comes in a variety of solid colors to delight anyone using them. Commonly used for loose-fitting blouses and breezy skirts, satin creates a conversation piece when it is worn. Romantic and breezy or upscale and chic, sation is a versatile type of material that is easy to work with, albeit a bit pricey. However, it’s worth every penny. In crafts, homemade satin flowers or journal covers create an added touch to any type of project.

Demin, Denim, Denim

Demin flowers to be worn in the hair are a hot current trend, and with denim coming in so many colors today, the durable material is great for book covers and heavy winter blankets as well. With demin the possibilities are endless, and everything from bookbags to laptop covers can be made out of this great fabric. Classic colors are all the rage, in washed, average blue, and dark blue colors.

What About Polyester?

This type of fabric is so great to have around because of how cheap it is. Ideal for crafting fabric flowers, polyester comes in a large variety of colors and textures, making it a cheap alternative to other pricey materials. Since it’s durable and easy to use for many projects from making a blouse to crafting new curtains, polyester continues to be a popular breed of material in the crafting and sewing genre. Polyester is also great for beginning crafters as it is cheap to purchase and durable for many types of home projects.

Silk for Luxury

Who doesn’t love silk? Silk is soft, shiny, and sweet, making it the ideal fabric for everything comfortable and cozy. From making pillow covers to bedsheets, silk is a small bit of luxury to have in the home. Available in beautiful flowing solid colors, silk is wonderful for creating comfortable and elegant clothing pieces like shorts, pants, and blouses. While silk does sit on the pricey side, it wears well on nearly everyone and is versatile in use. Silk is perfect for creating upscale pieces and to make a statement on a date or in the workplace.

Lace Has Its Place

Lace is all the rage in today’s fashion and is present in everything from fashion accessories to clothing pieces themselves. From solid lace overshirts to lace-inspired headbands and necklaces, lace is the perfect accessory for any outfit. In crafts silk is a great accent to add to curtains, pillows, scrapbook projects, and other craft ideas. A perfect layering piece, popular silk colors are cream, beige, white, and black. Lace can be found in neon colors as well for fashion-forward individuals, and comes in a variety of modern styles.

Sequined Material for a Statement

Material can be purchased entirely covered in sequins to create beautiful shirts and skirts. Sequined material can be found in animal prints and solid colors, as well as stripes. From neon colors to simple gold and silver, sequined material is best suited for solid clothing pieces that aim to make a statement in their wear. A durable material, sequined fabric is also great for crafting and cover pieces, such as book covers and liners for homemade bags. Sequined material is a bit pricey, but the many uses that can come of it make it a material that any person can en

Textile Types and Fabrics

Textile Types and Fabrics

Textiles/fabrics are made from different fibers. The main kinds of fiber materials include the natural fibers and the man made fibers. Natural fibers are made from animal and plant materials. The fabric’s quality and texture usually depends on how the different fibers are treated and processed, be it natural or synthetic.

There are a great number of animal fibers that are commonly used in textile production. Most animal fibers are light in weight, fine, extremely soft and also very warm.

Angora wool is got from the different breeds of Angora rabbits and goats. The wool that is harvested is usually very little and cannot be used to produce mass amounts of textile and is therefore at times mixed with other kinds of fibers to help reduce on the cost.

Camel hair is harvested from the Alpaca, Llama, Vicuna and particular breeds of camels. The wool got from the Vicuna is some of the finest and most expensive fibers available.

Cashmere is produced from the undercoat of the Kashmir goat that is popular in China, Mongolia and Tibet.

Wool is got from the fleece of sheep. Wool tends to vary according to different grades. This is because sheep produce their wool according to the way in which they have adopted with a particular environment and its conditions. Because of the varying grades of wool, the fibers can be put to various uses for instance the coarse fibers can be used in production of blankets, carpets while the softer and finer fibers can be used for baby’s clothes, undergarments or any other product that the producer may desire.

Silk has the finest quality in animal fibers. Silk contains fiber fibroin that is secreted form silkworm larva and sericin that holds the fibers together. It is obtained from the silkworm’s unwound cocoon. It is very absorbent and therefore dyes easily.

The most common plant fibers are cotton and linen
Cotton is a soft plant fiber and can be used in the production of materials for any use. The materials produced from cotton are extremely comfortable, smooth, with the best absorbing qualities. For these reasons, cotton is commonly used in the production of garments.

Linen has the same properties as cotton. However, it is found to be much stronger than cotton and is made from flax plant’s stalk and also isn’t as elastic as cotton. It is also able to dye easily.

The synthetic fibers that are usually produced include nylon and polyester. They are both strong and able to stretch better than the natural fibers. To help improve on quality of fabrics, the synthetic fibers are usually mixed with the natural fibers.
Designing textiles
Textiles go through very long production processes before they are even ready to be printed. Textiles are designed in number of ways that help add colors, patterns and designs to the fabric. These include including use of dyes and colors, embroidery.

Embroidery consists adding stitching of threads onto the fabric. This can be done using various colors of threads and other materials such as embellishments, sequins in order to make the material look more beautiful and attractive.

Designing textiles can also be done by individuals, especially those who are in the fashion industry. To be able to capture the best designs on textiles, one can either sketch out designs from personal inspiration or even make these designs using the computer using graphic design techniques. The designs are then sent to the mill where the designs can be added to fabric. If the print needs corrections, then the designer can work on it further before sending it back to the mill. Once you have got the print as perfectly as you want it, then you can finally have the printed fabric mass produced.
Fibers can be woven, knitted, laced or even braided depending on what its end use will be. The design of the fabric produced also widely depends on the materials end use.

spices for your health

turmeric cuts your risk of diabetes

This exotic spice has a golden-yellow hue and slightly peppery, gingery taste. It’s wildly popular in Asian, Indian and African cuisines and if you’re not already a fan, here’s a great reason to try it: According to researchers at Thailand’s Srinakharinwirot University, adding as little as one teaspoon of turmeric to your daily diet could cut your risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as half! This spice is loaded with curcumin, a potent antioxidant that nourishes the insulin-producing pancreas, say researchers. “Just sneak it into your favorite fish, chicken, beef, vegetable and rice dishes to jazz them up,”

sage strengthens memory

Feeling foggy? A single dose of sage can instantly sharpen your memory skills, helping you recall names, places and other facts more quickly and accurately for at least three hours straight, say researchers at Britain’s University of Northumbria at Newcastle. How? Plant compounds called phenols block the breakdown of acetylcholine -- a brain compound that’s essential for clear-headed thinking and the formation of new memories, the study authors say. Try tossing 1/2 teaspoon of this dried herb into your next meal.

  

saffron fights depression

Three clinical trials at the University of Tehran suggest that eating a daily pinch (less than 1/10 of a teaspoon) of this golden-yellow spice eases depression for 75 percent of women, making it more powerful than many prescription antidepressants. Credit saffron’s crocin, an antioxidant that prods the brain to produce more mood-boosting serotonin. Saffron has a slightly sweet, earthy flavor, and it’s wonderful in seafood, rice, beef and tomato-based dishes.

That pinch will do just fine in this recipe for Pasta with Zucchini and Saffron.

 

Iris Scott - A Finger Painter!

Iris Scott - A Finger Painter!

A modern impressionist, Iris Scott uses all ten of her finger to paint in multiple. Not finger by finger but by using several fingers in pattern movements that give her paintings a unique look, both complex in small and simple in whole. This 28 year old American artist shows us something a little different, and a little wonderful.